78 THE ENGLISH MASTIFF. 



The word mastiff is evidently of Norman introduction, and 



is probably a Gallic form of the Latin word massivus, the t 



being interchanged for the s ; the word being derived from 



massa, a mass, and applied to the breed on account of the 



thick-set massive or masty form of the animal. In the 



Anglicised form mastiff the reduplication of the f seems purely 



English, and etymologists have pointed out, the spelling 



mastif would be preferable, and we find examples of the word 



in the older form mastif and masty. It is specially worthy 



of note that both the Armoric and Spanish have the word in 



the form mastin, and in ancient French it was the same, 



having become contracted into matin. The Italian has also the 



same word with the vow r el ending suffixed (mastino). Mastivus 



cannot under these circumstances be regarded as exactty dog 



Latin, (so called) seeing we find the word in the Italian 



mastino, which is evidently the mastivus, the v and n being 



interchanged. Dr. Caius mentions that Niphus spelt the 



word mastinus. Some have derived the word mastiff from 



mansatinus, properly a dog that stops at the house, but the 



contraction seems very forced and improbable, and there 



exists not a scrap of historical information warranting any 



such derivation. Mastiff seems a corresponding English 



form to the French word massif from massa, the English 



massive or massy. 



Spencer, who wrote purposely in a somewhat antiquated 

 style, used the word mastives and Hudibras has the same. 



Dr. Caius plainly states that the origin of the word mastivus 

 is from the massive or gross (sagina) form of the dog's body, 

 and he states notwithstanding that Augustinus Niphus (who 

 wrote about 1500) wrote the word mastinus, and the word 

 appears plainly to have been primarily of Italian origin. 



